Are we close?

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ajk4st8

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Mar 27, 2006
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I can't decide in my mind if I think we are close to having a really solid team next year. Assuming that Colvin and Gilstrap and solid (which I have a lot more faith in them coming in and being contributers more than last years recruits mainly because athleticism helps make up for lack of skills) they would add some dramatically needed help.

Craig provides consistent scoring and a rebounder in the paint despite double teams.

DG could be that much better with SOMEONE who could handle the press. I can't imagine playing that many minutes of Big 12 ball being the sole person having to handle the ball a majority of the time (especially against pressure D like Mizzou).

Coach Mac recruited a lot of shooter types last year (Lucca, Wes, JVB) that have shown a lack of ability to create their own shot or get open with pressure D. Having guys on the court that provide SOME sort of offensive threat (Gilstrap, Colvin, Scott C) could only help take defenders away from them.

Hamilton, Boozer, JVB have all shown some really nice signs of BECOMING solid Big 12 basketball players.

Rarely do teams win in the Big 12 only with shooters. I can't remember a team that was successful at doing that with limited athletes. Teams on the other hand DO very well when there are 3-4 really good athletes on the floor with 1-2 guys who can shoot the ball very well.

Buckley will be better. How much better? Who knows. But he should greatly benefit from having another guy in practice (Colvin) to work him. That COULD give us 3 guys that can handle the ball on the floor. I can't remember the last time we had 3 guys that could legit break a press on their own.

The addition of LA Pomlee can only help add a defensive body/rebounder that we greatly lack at times. It seems like Craig's D is limited at times due to the fact he can NOT get in foul trouble. Having that extra body could help.


Then again.... The theory of taking the same players and hoping to be a lot better rarely happens. Will the 4 new additions make that big of difference? I guess I'm warming up to the idea it might.

End of positive thinking. Return to standard negative thoughts.

*I never called any recruits 'busts' in this post*
 
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CycloneErik

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Jan 31, 2008
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I think we're very close.

These 'busts' are freshmen, and a first-year sophomore. Nobody is a bust at that stage in the game, and frequently are guys that will show a lot of improvement in the next year or two.

I'm full of hope for the future.
 

MontyBurns

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Jan 27, 2008
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I expect more out of our freshman and first year sophomore "busts" next year than I do out of our recruits. Saying we're close and that that two HS players will put us over the top is not realistic. We are dead last in the conference and anyone expecting two players to come straight from high school and immediately change that is just setting themselves up to be disappointed.
 

gocubs2118

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Mar 31, 2006
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I am hoping for an LSU type turn around next year. Last year LSU was 13-18 and is 19-4 this year. We won't be 19-4 at any point next year but I really think we are just 2 good offensive threats away from being a really good team.
 

BigBake

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Mar 17, 2006
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I think we're very close.

These 'busts' are freshmen, and a first-year sophomore. Nobody is a bust at that stage in the game, and frequently are guys that will show a lot of improvement in the next year or two.

I'm full of hope for the future.

I don't think he labeled them busts. Just said they couldn't create their own shot which is expected. They just gotta learn how to score at this level.
 

clone136

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i think we are extremely close, I might get shot down for this, but i think we are a player away. Especially with the development of Hamilton and VB. If Lucca can produce next year and the emergence of Boozer, i think next year looks promising, very promising . But then again I always think we have a promising future.
 
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ajk4st8

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Mar 27, 2006
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I expect more out of our freshman and first year sophomore "busts" next year than I do out of our recruits. Saying we're close and that that two HS players will put us over the top is not realistic. We are dead last in the conference and anyone expecting two players to come straight from high school and immediately change that is just setting themselves up to be disappointed.


1 from HS
1 Redshirt Fresh
1 Redshirt from Marquette
1 Juco SR
 

Steve

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Apr 11, 2006
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I expect more out of our freshman and first year sophomore "busts" next year than I do out of our recruits. Saying we're close and that that two HS players will put us over the top is not realistic. We are dead last in the conference and anyone expecting two players to come straight from high school and immediately change that is just setting themselves up to be disappointed.

If you are calling Gilstrap a HS recruit, you might want to get up to speed on ISU recruiting. He might be one of the oldest newcomers to ever join the ISU program.
 

CycloneWanderer

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Nov 4, 2007
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As of now, since he didn't even know that Gilstrap is not a high school senior right now, any credibility MontyBurns may have had is gone. It isn't like there have been several discussions about him and several articles about it.
 

Ficklone02

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Apr 11, 2006
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Isn't our margin of defeat something like 10.5? I wouldn't call that close. I think next year we might be close....which is not so good in year 4, but would be better than where we're at right now.
 

tim_redd

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Mar 29, 2006
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Isn't our margin of defeat something like 10.5? I wouldn't call that close. I think next year we might be close....which is not so good in year 4, but would be better than where we're at right now.

I agree. Next year hopefully we can be "close".
 

ajk4st8

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Mar 27, 2006
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Isn't our margin of defeat something like 10.5? I wouldn't call that close. I think next year we might be close....which is not so good in year 4, but would be better than where we're at right now.


But losses against Drake, Hawaii, SDSU, and a few of the Big 12 games we have been 'close' in might change. The blow outs will still be there, but it would be nice to find enough to grab the rest.
 

acody

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Nov 25, 2006
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Based on what I've been watching, we are not close. We may finish dead last this year and I'm really dissappointed with the talent level that Gmac has recruited. Unless I see Dedric Willoughby and Kelvin Cato type players show up next year, I do not see us anywhere close to .500 in the Big 12. I agree with MontyBurns. Watch your wallet. As Bill Parcells once said, "you are what your record says you are" and it's not good.
 

tyler24

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Jun 19, 2006
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I feel we could finally be decent/solid next year if the guards and Brackins return. We've seen what one year for guards on campus can do for us (Boozer and Garrett). Next year with plenty of guards returning, the offense needs to be much better since they will know their roles much better than this year. I'm still not expecting much, but I hope next years club can prove me wrong.
 

gocubs2118

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One thing is for sure, this is going to be a LONG off season. I can't wait until June and July when we discuss the same things over and over again. That shall be fun.
 

tyler24

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Based on what I've been watching, we are not close. We may finish dead last this year and I'm really dissappointed with the talent level that Gmac has recruited.
I really dont know how people are disappointed by the players Gmac is bringing in. DG, CB have already proven they are Big XII caliber players. Boozer and Hamilton are getting there, DB is too young, but we have seen flashes (AKA Iowa game). Vanderbeken was a steal. I really dont see where his recruitment has been a weakness. Id like to hear from someone who also thinks he is not recruiting well.
 

el tornado

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Mar 23, 2006
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From what I read about Gilstrap I think that he's the guy that can help us win... defenses will have to stop collapsing on Brackins. I think Colvin will start right away. I have'nt seen enough of Buckley to know what he can bring.

Losing Peterson and Thompson will actually be a plus for us. Do you think that they would see any minutes on any other Big 12 team?